The present invention relates to a garment with a crotch part having a structure for holding an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin or an incontinence pad, on the crotch part with stability and security.
Absorbent articles such as a sanitary napkin or an incontinence pad are used widely as sanitary goods for absorbing a body fluid such as menstrual blood or urine. Taking a sanitary napkin as a representative example to be described, various improvements have been added so that it can be mounted to a garment with a crotch part, such as a short panty, on the crotch part with stability and ease. Recently, as illustrated in FIG. 26, a sanitary napkin in which foldable pieces 202 (hereinafter may be referred to as wings) are provided on the right and left sides of a napkin body 201 and these foldable pieces 202 have adhesive portions 203 covered with separable protection films (not illustrated) is common.
In such a conventional napkin, as illustrated in FIG. 27, the napkin body 201 is applied onto the inner side of a crotch part 206 of a short panty main body 205. While the wings 202 are folded onto the outer side of the short panty main body 205, the separable protection films are removed from the adhesive portions 203, and the wings 202 are adhered to the outer side of the crotch part 206 with the adhesive portions 203.
Thus, the napkin is held on the crotch part 206 of the short panty main body 205 with stability and security.
However, in a sanitary garment with a crotch part such as the above-described conventional sanitary short panty, because the wings 202 of the napkin are exposed on the outer side of the short panty main body 205, it has poor appearance.
Although a sanitary napkin is described herein as a representative example, an incontinence pad or other absorbent article for absorbing urine or other discharged body fluid, other than menstrual blood, which has wings just as the napkin shown in FIG. 26, also may be assumed. With respect to the case of using such an assumed absorbent article with wings, the same matters are considered. In the following, a case of using a sanitary napkin is described as a representative example.
To solve these problems, for example, a sanitary short panty as described in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3002607 has been proposed.
In this sanitary short panty, as shown in the perspective view for its main parts in FIG. 28, a waterproof cloth 213 is placed on the inner side of a crotch part 212 of a short panty main body 211. Front and rear ends 214 and 215 of the waterproof cloth 213, and portions 216 and 217 of the right and left sides of the waterproof cloth 213 near the front and rear ends are sewn to the short panty main body 211. The right and left edges 218 of the waterproof cloth 213 are not sewn to the short panty main body 211 and are in free state. That is, the wings 202 of the napkin are folded into the gap between the waterproof cloth 213 and the crotch part 212, where the waterproof cloth 213 is not sewn to the short panty main body. These folded wings 202 are adhered to the back side of the waterproof cloth 213.
Thus, in a conventional sanitary short panty, by folding the wings 202 of the napkin onto the back side of the waterproof cloth 213, the wings 202 are prevented from being exposed on the outside of the short panty main body.
However, such a conventional sanitary short panty does not have a structure to make the mounting of a napkin with wings easy. The gap between the crotch part 212 of the short panty main body 211 and the waterproof cloth 213 is small, and folding of the wings to mount the napkin is difficult. Furthermore, because the adhesive portions 203 of the wings 202 are adhered directly to the back side of the waterproof cloth 213, when changing the napkin or washing the short panty, the napkin is peeled away from the short panty. When peeling the wings 202 of the napkin frequently, the waterproof resin coating on the waterproof cloth 213 also is peeled by the adhesive strength of the adhesive portions. This causes reduced waterproof property and leaking. Furthermore, close contact of a napkin mounted on the waterproof cloth with respect to the crotch region of the body of the wearer is not considered much in a conventional sanitary short panty.
To dissolve these problems, for example, a sanitary short panty as described in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3047126 has been proposed.
FIG. 29 is a plan view of a crotch part and its vicinity of the above-mentioned short panty, viewed from the inside of the short panty. FIG. 30 is an approximate sectional view taken along the line A-Axe2x80x2 of FIG. 29. FIG. 31 is a detailed sectional view of only a cloth piece 225 for holding a sanitary napkin (second crotch cloth piece) of FIGS. 29 and 30. The crotch part of the sanitary short panty shown in FIGS. 29 to 31 has the following structure.
The sanitary short panty includes a short panty main body, which is comprised of a front body fabric 222, a rear body fabric 223, and a crotch cloth piece 224 for joining the lower end of the front body fabric 222 and the lower end of the rear body fabric 223. A cloth piece 225 (a second crotch cloth piece) for holding a napkin (see FIG. 26) applied is mounted on the crotch cloth piece 224, and a stretch tape 226 having a smaller width and a slightly shorter length than the second crotch cloth piece 225 and the crotch cloth piece 224 is mounted between the second crotch cloth piece 225 and the crotch cloth piece 224 at the center in the width direction. As illustrated in FIG. 31, the second crotch cloth piece 225 has a three-layer structure consisting of a stretchable net cloth 225e to be in direct contact with the skin, a waterproof cloth 225f, and a stretchable net cloth 225g on which the right and left wings 202 of a napkin are to be applied. The entire shape of the second crotch cloth piece 225 is approximately the same as that of the crotch cloth piece 224. The stretchable net cloth 225e to be in direct contact with the skin and the waterproof cloth 225f are integrated by adhesion (lamination) in overall. The net cloth 225e and waterproof cloth 225f are integrated with the net cloth 225g by sewing them at the whole peripheries thereof.
Thus, by mounting the stretchable net cloth 225g as a backing cloth for the waterproof cloth 225f, direct adhesion of the adhesive portions 203 in the right and left wings 202 of the napkin to the waterproof cloth 205f is prevented. According to this structure, when peeling the right and left wings 202 of the napkin frequently, the waterproof resin coating on the waterproof cloth 225f is not peeled by the adhesive strength of the adhesive portions 203, so that reduced waterproof property and leaking are not caused.
Furthermore, the rear edge 226b of the stretch tape 226 is sewn to the lower end of the rear body fabric 223 together with the rear edge 224b of the crotch cloth piece 224. Right and left edges 225c and 225d of the second crotch cloth piece 225 are open edges not sewn to the crotch cloth piece 224. Right and left edges 226c and 226d of the stretch tape 226 also are open edges not sewn to the crotch cloth piece 224. That is, both the second crotch cloth piece 225 and the stretch tape 226 are mounted to the short panty main body only at the front and rear edges 225a and 225b or the front and rear edges 226a and 226b. 
However, in both the sanitary short panty illustrated in FIG. 28 and the sanitary short panty illustrated in FIGS. 29 to 31, it is necessary that a waterproof cloth treated with a liquid-impermeable coating such as resin, like the waterproof cloth 213 or the waterproof cloth 225f, is used in the crotch part thereof. However, when using a waterproof cloth, it is easy to be steamed and itching or the like is easy to occur, so that wearing comfort is poor. Use of such a waterproof cloth is necessary because of the still insufficient fit of a sanitary napkin to the pudendal cleft region in these sanitary short panties, and when the sanitary napkin deviates from a determined position on the pudendal cleft region by the movement of the wearer, menstrual blood might leak and spoil an outer wear or the like. That is, in both the sanitary short panty illustrated in FIG. 28 and the sanitary short panty illustrated in FIGS. 29 to 31, as described above, the right and left edges 218 or the right and left edges 225c and 225d of the waterproof cloth 213 or the second crotch cloth piece 225 are open edges not sewn to the crotch cloth piece 212 or 224 of the garment main body. That is, the waterproof cloth piece 213 or the second crotch cloth piece 225 is mounted to the short panty main body at the front and rear edges 214 and 215 or the front and rear edges 225a and 225b thereof The stretch tape 226 of the sanitary short panty illustrated in FIGS. 29 to 31 also is mounted to the short panty main body at its front and rear edges 226a and 226b, but its center portion is not fixed to the short panty main body at all. Thus, the crotch part 212 of the short panty main body 211 and the waterproof cloth 213 are caused to slide by the movement of the wearer easily, and thereby the sanitary napkin mounted on the waterproof cloth 213 might deviate from a determined position. Also, like the above case, relative positions among the crotch cloth piece 224, the second crotch cloth piece 225 and the stretch tape 226 also are shifted by the movement of the wearer easily, and thereby the sanitary napkin mounted on the second crotch cloth piece 225 also deviates from a determined position.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a garment with a crotch part, in which a sanitary napkin, incontinence pad or other absorbent article is held at a determined position on the crotch part with stability and security. The garment also is excellent in close contact to the pudendal cleft region, is difficult to be steamed in use, and has fine appearance and good wearing comfort after mounting an absorbent article.
To accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a garment with a crotch part as follows:
(1) A garment with a crotch part used in contact with skin, including:
a garment main body including a stretchable crotch cloth piece; and
a second crotch cloth piece on which an absorbent article is to be applied and held, provided on an inner side of the crotch cloth piece of the garment main body,
wherein the second crotch cloth piece is mounted to the garment main body at its front and rear edges and is mounted to the crotch cloth piece of the garment main body at least in one portion of its center line, and
right and left edges of the second crotch cloth piece are not bonded to the garment main body and are in free state.
(2) A garment with a crotch part used in contact with skin, including:
a garment main body including a stretchable crotch cloth piece; and
a second crotch cloth piece on which an absorbent article is to be applied and held, provided on an inner side of the crotch cloth piece of the garment main body,
wherein the second crotch cloth piece is made of a knitted or woven fabric having stretchability at least in its longitudinal direction;
a straining force in vicinities of right and left edges of the second crotch cloth piece and a straining force in a region along a longitudinal center line of the second crotch cloth piece are increased;
the second crotch cloth piece is mounted to the garment main body at its front and rear edges and is mounted to the crotch cloth piece of the garment main body at least in one portion of the center line; and
the right and left edges of the second crotch cloth piece are not bonded to the garment main body and are in free state.
(3) The garment according to the above item (2), wherein:
the second crotch cloth piece is mounted to the garment main body while stretching right and left edges of the second crotch cloth piece having a shorter length than a determined length; and
a stretch tape is mounted on a back side of the second crotch cloth piece along the longitudinal center line.
(4) The garment according to the above item (2), wherein:
the second crotch cloth piece is mounted to the garment main body at its front and rear edges while stretching right and left edges of the second crotch cloth piece having a shorter length than a determined length; and
the second crotch cloth piece is mounted to the crotch cloth piece of the garment main body in approximately full length of the longitudinal center line via a stretch tape on a back side of the second crotch cloth piece.
(5) The garment according to the above item (3) or (4), wherein the stretch tape having a shorter length than a determined length is mounted to the second crotch cloth piece while being stretched.
(6) The garment according to the above item (3) or (4), wherein:
the second crotch cloth piece is formed by joining two cloth pieces on front and rear sides together by sewing;
a length of a longitudinal center line of each of the two cloth pieces on front and rear sides is approximately the same as a determined length,
a length of right and left edges of each of the two cloth pieces on front and rear sides is shorter than a determined length;
the two cloth pieces on front and rear sides have opposed edges to be joined, each edge expanding in a convex form; and
the two cloth pieces on front and rear sides are joined by sewing at their edges expanding in a convex form.
(7) The garment according to any one of the above items (1) to (4), wherein a stretch tape is mounted on the right and left edges of the second crotch cloth piece.
(8) The garment according to any one of the above items (2) to (4), wherein
a thickness and/or a knitted or woven density of an elastic fiber yarn in a knitted or woven fabric forming the second crotch cloth piece are increased in vicinities of the right and left edges or in vicinities of the right and left edges and in vicinity of the longitudinal center line of the second crotch cloth piece, and thereby
a straining force in vicinities of and in directions along the right and left edges of the second crotch cloth piece, or a straining force in vicinities of and in directions along the right and left edges and a straining force in vicinity of and in a direction along the longitudinal center line of the second crotch cloth piece are increased further.
(9) The garment according to the above item (2), wherein a length of the right and left edges and a length of the longitudinal center line of the second crotch cloth piece are each shorter than a determined length, and the second crotch cloth piece is mounted to the garment main body while stretching the right and left edges and the center line of the second crotch cloth piece.
(10) The garment according to the above item (9), wherein a stretch tape is mounted on the right and left edges of the second crotch cloth piece.
(11) The garment according to the above item (9), wherein
a thickness and/or a knitted or woven density of an elastic fiber yarn in a knitted or woven fabric forming the second crotch cloth piece are increased in vicinities of the right and left edges or in vicinities of the right and left edges and in vicinity of the longitudinal center line of the second crotch cloth piece, and thereby
a straining force in vicinities of and in directions along the right and left edges of the second crotch cloth piece, or a straining force in vicinities of and in directions along the right and left edges and a straining force in vicinity of and in a direction along the longitudinal center line of the second crotch cloth piece are increased further.
(12) The garment according to any one of the above items (1) to (4), wherein both the crotch cloth piece of the garment main body and the second crotch cloth piece are made of a woven or knitted fabric that is not waterproofed.
(13) The garment according to any one of the above items (1) to (4), wherein the second crotch cloth piece is made of a knitted fabric selected from a raschel knitted fabric and a tricot knitted fabric that are not waterproofed.
(14) The garment according to any one of the above items (2) to (4), wherein a cross section of the second crotch cloth piece in width direction when the garment is in use has an approximate W-shape such that vicinities of the right and left edges and the longitudinal center line of the second crotch cloth piece rise toward a body of a wearer.
(15) The garment according to any one of the above items (1) to (4), wherein the absorbent article is a sanitary napkin.
(16) The garment according to any one of the above items (1) to (4), wherein the garment is selected from a short panty, a girdle, a bodysuit and a leotard.